Cubs Minor League Report Card: Second base

Photo courtesy: I-Cubs

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Thu Oct 03 11:24:36 GMT-04:00 2024

Of all the Cubs positions in the organization, second base could be the one with the most intrigue. Not only does the Chicago Cubs have Nico Hoerner, who still has multiple years remaining on an affordable deal, but they also have two guys in the minor knocking on the door as they continue to move up through the system.

One of those two could ultimately be trade bait this offseason, but the other is coming off a Southern League MVP this season and Minor League Player of the Year award in the Cubs system and will be allowed to play himself onto the roster this Spring. This is a good problem for the Cubs to have, but now it will be up to them to figure out what to do with a trio of players that are only getting better.

Pedro Ramirez

Not only do the Cubs have two second basemen in their top 10 for prospects, but they have another second baseman that is often overlooked and also had a great season. Initially a SS turned 2B this season, the 20-year-old Pedro Ramirez is coming off a great season as he continues to produce for the Cubs.

Since joining the Cubs organization in 2021, Ramirez has been one of the organization's best hitters, posting a .296 career average. That includes his .284 average with South Bend this season, which included four homers, 48 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Next up for him is finding a more regular role to stick with, as his bat will play at the next level and continue producing through the system.

Season Grade B: Ramirez is the definition of a bat-ball hitter. He has little power but knows how to put the ball in play. Every organization needs a guy like that, and Ramirez continues to be one of the better contact hitters in the Cubs system. Given how the organization is playing out, his future may not be with this team, but until that is decided, the Cubs are happy to have him aboard.

James Triantos

Arguably, the biggest surprise this season throughout the Cubs' minor league system came from 2B James Triantos, who is now one level away from the Minors. Taken in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft, the 21-year-old Triantos came to the Cubs with Alex Bregman comparisons, but he has shown he is a vastly different type of player.

Expected to be someone capable of hitting 20-plus homers a season, Triantos has not only ditched the power but did so at an incredible level as he now uses a contact-first approach to get on base before using his speed to make things happen.

Across 115 games between AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa this season, Triantos was an on-base machine as he finished the season with a .300 average, adding seven homers and 52 RBIs to go with it. That included a .302 average once he made the jump to AAA as Triantos continued to hit the highest level of pitching he has seen despite not showing much power.

The biggest aspect of his game that no one talks about is the speed portion. He led the Cubs organization with 47 steals and was only caught nine times. The Cubs haven't had much of that element in the past, but they are doing a better job of adding more speed to their roster, and Triantos would only give them more.

Season Grade A: Triantos's season wasn't expected, and it came out of nowhere. If you had asked most of the higher-ups in the Cubs organization, the consensus would be that he was the most improved player in the Cubs system and will now give the Cubs plenty to talk about this offseason.

What to do with him is a major question, as they not only need to open up a spot for him but could also dangle him in trade talks to get other players on their roster. Regardless, the organization loves Triantos, and because of that, it could make a guy like Hoerner more likely to be traded this offseason.

Matt Shaw

When you talk about fast-rising prospects knocking on the MLB door, Matt Shaw comes to mind as he is not only knocking on the door but should be on the opening day roster next season. Taken in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Shaw has been dominant since breaking into the Minors and has moved all the up to AAA in less than two seasons.

Shaw is coming off an impressive season in which he combined to hit .284 between AA and AAA while also showing the ability to play 2B and 3B at a high level. Not only did the average continue to be a big part of his game, but Shaw also displayed the type of overall hitter he is as he was the only 20-20 guy in the organization.

His 21 homers led the Cubs' Minor league system, while his 71 RBIs were third, showing that he is much more than an average first guy. Another part of his game that people often overlook is the speed aspect, as Shaw added 31 stolen bases to his line, making him a threat all across the board. There is a reason why he was the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Year and the Southern League MVP, as he will push for an opening day spot in 2025.

Season Grade A+: There aren't many cases when a guy earns an A+ for a grade, but Shaw is one of those cases. From the moment the Cubs drafted him and he started to show what he could do, you got a sense that he was one of the draft's biggest steals as he instantly produced.

Then came this season, when he not only continued to produce but produced at a level so high that he went from a top-10 prospect to the Cubs' top prospect and is now No. 21 in all of baseball.